Tekucina

Tekucina is a term used to describe the intersection of technology and cooking, emphasizing the application of digital tools, automation, and data-driven methods in kitchens and food preparation. The word blends tech with cucina, Italian for kitchen, and is used chiefly in discussions about culinary technology rather than as a formal discipline. It denotes a loose set of practices rather than a single movement or curriculum.

In scope, tekucina covers smart kitchen devices, robotics in professional kitchens, algorithm-driven recipe development, IoT-enabled appliances, and the design of kitchen spaces that integrate sensors and automation. It also encompasses digital gastronomy, which studies how computation, sensors, and networks influence taste, texture, nutrition, and sustainability.

Origins of the term are informal, arising from overlaps between culinary arts, computer science, and product design in the 2010s and 2020s. It appears in media and scholarly articles as a descriptive umbrella rather than a formal field. There is no standardized certification or set of standards associated with tekucina.

Reception to tekucina is mixed. Proponents highlight improved consistency, personalization, inventory management, and waste reduction. Critics raise concerns about the potential erosion of traditional craft, possible job displacement, data privacy, and unequal access to advanced kitchen technologies.

See also: digital gastronomy, smart kitchen, culinary technology, Internet of Things in the kitchen.